What happens beyond the locked gates?

What goes on beyond the locked Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve gates? 

Does it really matter if one species goes extinct?

Come and find out - Wed 20 Aug 2014

Helmeted Honeyeater - image B.Tardif

Spotted Pardalote - image B.Tardif

The Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Program, Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, Zoos Victoria and BirdLife Australia’s Threatened Bird Network are holding a workshop where you can learn more about the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater. Find out what you can do to assist with the Helmeted Honeyeaters recovery and how the work undertaken also protects many other threatened species that co-exist with it. 

When: Wednesday 20 August 2014

Where: 1217 Macclesfield Road, Yellingbo (Melway ref: 305 G11)

Times: 10.00am (for a 10.30 start) to 3.00pm (including 1.30-3.00 for planting Helmeted Honeyeater habitat)

           Morning tea and lunch provided (please RSVP so we can cater accordingly)

Bring along: binoculars and gumboots if you have them and hat/sunscreen/raincoat 

RSVP: Limited places available. Please RSVP by Wednesday 13 August 2014, to Meg Cullen, BirdLife Australia, meghan.cullen@birdlife.org.au

2013-14 breeding season update

36 fledglings are currently being observed at Yellingbo NCR. A bumper season.

Are you looking for volunteer involvement in a threatened species program?

We currently have gaps in the 365 day p/yr supplementary feeding and monitoring roster.

Training and support provided. Would you like to find out more about what's involved? Contact Sue

Not everyone can contribute time. Members are our life blood. Download our membership/donation form here. 

More habitat - Thanks to the Judith Eardley Wildlife Fund

Yellingbo NCR - image S.Tardif

Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve is one of the Victorian sites selected for revegetation works under the state government's '2 Million Trees Program'.

Trees and shrubs over 2 metres are the reveg species selected under this Program. This is great, but thanks to the Judith Eardley Wildlife Fund, significant understorey species plantings will now complement and greatly enhance this Program.

Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater are key partners, with the Program being coordinated by Parks Victoria and Greening Australia. Read more here 

Photographer: Sue Tardif
Image: YNCR habitat

A Christmas day breeding update

Feeding volunteers monitoring the birds - image S.Tardif

29 fledglings at Yellingbo NCR to date

PLUS

4 birds known to be either on eggs, or feeding nestlings

PLUS

65 regular volunteers assisting with the supplementary feeding program.
We currently have 2 gaps in the feeding roster - 1st Sunday and 2nd Saturday of the month. Would you like to find out more about what's involved? Contact Sue

A bumper year

History tells us a wet year is likely to mean a  good breeding season for Helmeted Honeyeaters, and this year is proving that assumption to be correct.




At Yellingbo this year:

Twenty-five known fledglings, to date for the 2013-14 breeding season.

PLUS

Females sitting on four more known nests, including one female from the October 2013 captive bred release group.

This is all good news for the Recovery Program. Stay tuned for updates - the breeding season extends from August-February.

Find out more about Helmeted Honeyeaters here

Many thanks to all the volunteers who are making a difference to the survival of this bird through planting, supplementary feeding, collecting seed, propagating plants, contributing to planning…

Photographer: Bruce Tardif
Image: light blue/dark blue collecting nesting material

Early breeding season news

One female Helmeted Honeyeater, BlueD, is half way through constructing her first nest for the season in Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve. How long does it take to build you ask, then for nestlings to be seen? Check out the details at Q. What does 14 plus...

Three additional females have been observed collecting nest material in Yellingbo.

At Bunyip State Park, one female has been seen collecting nest material.

This is all good news for the breeding season.

VEAC Yellingbo Investigation - an update

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change has recently granted the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) an extension of time for the Yellingbo Investigation. This will allow the VEAC members, with a majority of who only commenced on VEAC about two months ago, more time to give due consideration to the important issues and complexities that have emerged in the work done on the Investigation to date.

The Investigation is now due for completion by 31 July 2013 instead of 25 February 2013. As a result, the Draft Proposals Paper that was scheduled for publication in late August 2012 will be released in November or December 2012.

To receive updates and developments on the Yellingbo Investigation as they occur, please register for the VEAC mailing list here.